Alexander Rides Hot Start to Match Play Victory

You could not have scripted a better start to the Players Tour Match Play championship match for Luke Alexander of Rochester who birdied his first four holes to quickly gain a 4-up lead over Jacob Pedersen of Shorewood. Alexander took full advantage of his blazing hot start and did not look back winning the title 4&3 over Pedersen.

“I hit the ball very well in the championship, and it was great to finally see some putts rolling in,” Alexander said in regard to his hot start. “It was great for my confidence heading into the back nine knowing I was playing well.”

After birdieing his first four holes and going 4-up, Alexander gave one back with a bogey on the par-4 5th—his only bogey on the day. The two went back and forth after that but Pedersen was never able to make up ground. He started the back with a birdie on the par-4 10th to get back to 3-down but would double-bogey the 13th. This proved to be the final straw for Pedersen as they halved the 14th.

“Everybody had good days and bad days. It really came down to who you were playing,” said Alexander. “I putted and drove the ball well this week.”

“When I thought about coming up the goal was to have fun with my brother [his caddie] and not necessarily win,” he stressed. “I had never played in a match play tournament prior to this. After the first couple matches, you start to believe more and more.”

“It feels really nice,” he added.

In this morning’s semifinal matches, Pedersen defeated Walker Reyes of Mankato 1-up and Alexander took down Brady Arnett of Woodbury 3&1 to advance to the championship.